US Expands F-16 Threat Against North Korea
Newsweek has reached out to the North Korean Embassy in China for comment by email.
The U.S. has maintained a military presence in South Korea, one of its Northeast Asian treaty allies, since the combat operations of the Korean War ended in 1953, which serves as a deterrent against North Korea, one of the nine nuclear-armed countries, with 50 warheads.
Both the South Korean air force and American forces in the country operate the F-16, which is a high-demand fourth-generation fighter jet known as the Fighting Falcon. South Korea is the second largest F-16 user in the Western Pacific Ocean, having ordered a total of 180 jets.
Osan Air Base, located to the south of the South Korean capital city of Seoul, will establish the second "Super Squadron" of the F-16 fighter jets in October, the U.S. Seventh Air Force, which is part of the larger U.S. forces stationed in the allied country, announced on Friday.
The first squadron was created in 2024 by relocating nine F-16 fighter jets from Kunsan Air Base to Osan Air Base, which originally had 22 Fighting Falcons. Kunsan Air Base will transfer an additional 31 fighter jets over the summer, forming the second squadron.
The second phase of the "Super Squadron" test, which will also involve the transfer of about 1,000 personnel to Osan Air Base from Kunsan Air Base, aims at examining the ability to increase combat force generation and maximize capability, according to the press release.
The establishment of another "super squadron" was approved after analysis of the first one, which showed that a "consolidated, larger unit" increased readiness and combat capability, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General David Iverson, Seventh Air Force commander, explained.
By consolidating the F-16 fighter aircraft at Osan Air Base, it will further determine "if the Super Squadron construct is the right path for future air power generation," Iverson added.
While most of its F-16 fighter jets are sent to Osan Air Base, Kunsan Air Base will maintain flightline operations and facilities, the Seventh Air Force said, serving as a primary exercise and rotational force bed-down location for America's air component forces in South Korea.
General David Allvin, chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, said: "We're standing up a second Super Squadron at Osan [Air Base]. This temporary change allows us to test and validate force generation capabilities on the Korean Peninsula, ultimately fostering a more lethal, ready air component...No doubts that the ROK-U.S. alliance is ironclad!"
ROK stands for Republic of Korea, which is the official name of South Korea.
U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General David Iverson, Seventh Air Force commander, said: "This Super Squadron effort demonstrates our steadfast focus on readiness and combat capability to achieve U.S. national security objectives."
The U.S. Seventh Air Force said: "Seventh Air Force remains committed to ensuring peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. The Super Squadron test has no impact on Seventh Air Force's ability to employ air power to deter aggression and defend the Republic of Korea against any threat."
It remains to be seen whether the U.S. military will deploy additional units to South Korea amid tensions with North Korea. The Pentagon has reinforced its air power in Japan, another U.S. treaty ally in Northeast Asia, by deploying stealth fighter jets and supersonic bombers.
Related Articles
US Says Houthi Capabilities DegradedUS Anti-Ship Missiles Challenge Nearby Chinese Aircraft CarrierAmericans Share Best Financial Advice They Ever Received-It's Eye-OpeningUber Could Be Halted For Millions of Americans
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Republican Says He Doesn't 'Buckle Up' in D.C. Amid Fear of Carjacking
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Republican U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma said he does not "buckle up" when driving in the nation's capital for fears of carjackings and his hindered response time if caught in one. Newsweek reached out to a political analyst via text message Wednesday for additional comment. Why It Matters President Donald Trump's move to federalize Washington, D.C., represents one of the most aggressive uses of federal authority over local law enforcement in recent memory and raised questions on the balance between local control and federal emergency powers in the district. Trump cited the District of Columbia's Home Rule Act in the enabling of federal control for a limited period. In a news conference addressing the administration's decision, district Mayor Muriel Bowser said in part that she believes Trump's view of D.C. was shaped during his first term in office, during and post-COVID, noting the spike in crime during the period. What To Know While speaking with Fox News on D.C. crime, Mullin said that "If you look at car theft only ... if Washington, D.C., was a state, Washington, D.C., would be three times higher than any other state. And we're talking about a city. And we're comparing it to full states." "And by the way, I'm not joking when I say this. I drive around in Washington, D.C., in my jeep and, yes, I do drive myself," the Oklahoma lawmaker continued. "And I don't buckle up. And the reason why I don't buckle up, and people can say whatever they want to, they can raise their eyebrows at me, again, is because of carjacking." Mullin added: "I don't wanna be stuck in my vehicle when I need to exit in a hurry because I got a seat belt around me. And ... I wear my seat belt all the time, but in Washington, D.C., I do not because it is so prevalent of carjacking. ... And I don't want the same thing to happen to me what's happened to a lot of people that work on The Hill." Trump also discussed D.C.'s crime record in comparison to other states Wednesday night on Truth Social, saying in part, "If D.C. were a State, it would have the highest Homicide Rate of any State in America. The Violent Crime Rate in D.C. has worsened, and the Murder Rate has essentially DOUBLED in just over a decade — But these are only the 'official' statistics released by corrupt City Officials." A Newsweek analysis of local and federal data reported violent crime in 2024 had hit a 30-year low in the district, and the Washington Metropolitan Police Department had also reported 2025 decreases in violent crime, including a 37 percent decline in carjackings. Recent incidents, however, did prompt national attention, including the D.C. attack on Edward "Big Balls" Coristine, former employee at the Department of Government Efficiency. What People Are Saying Bowser posted to X on Monday: "Washington, DC is a beautiful city. DC is home to 700K people and welcomes millions every year. We have the #1 park system, fantastic public schools, and a tremendous public transportation system. And we are at a 30-year low in violent crime. It's important for all who live here and visit to know how beautiful our city is and how proud we are of all that we've accomplished." Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma prepares for a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on April 29. (Photo by) Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma prepares for a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on April 29. (Photo by) This is a developing story that will be updated with additional information.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Powerful sister of North Korean leader denies removal of front-line speakers
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday dismissed South Korean claims the North is removing some of its loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border, mocking the government in Seoul for clinging to hopes of renewed diplomacy between the war-divided rivals. South Korea's military said over the weekend that it had detected the North removing some of its loudspeakers, days after the South dismantled its own front-line speakers used for anti-North propaganda broadcasts in a bid to ease tensions. Kim Yo Jong reiterated previous North Korean statements that it has no immediate interest in reviving long-stalled negotiations with Washington and Seoul, citing an upcoming joint military exercise between the allies as proof of their continued hostility toward Pyongyang. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff did not disclose where it spotted the North removing some of its speakers. The North Korean speakers that have been visible from civilian-accessible border areas in the South were still seen by AP photojournalists after the military's announcement. During a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, South Korea's new liberal President Lee Jae Myung described the North's alleged steps as a 'reciprocal measure' and expressed hope the Koreas could 'gradually reopen dialogue and communication.' Kim accused Lee's government of misleading the public, saying that North Koreans 'have never removed loudspeakers installed on the border area and are not willing to remove them.' No interest in talks with the US She also dismissed South Korean media speculation that the North may use this week's planned meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump to convey a message to Washington via Moscow. "Why should we send a message to the U.S. side," she said, adding that the North has no interest in talks with the Americans. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, North Korea has made Russia the priority of its foreign policy and has sent thousands of troops and large supplies of military equipment, including artillery and missiles, to help fuel Russia's war. North Korean and Russian state media said Wednesday that Kim Jong Un and Putin held a phone call to discuss their deepening ties and war efforts against Ukraine. Russia's TASS news agency said Putin also shared with Kim information about his upcoming talks with Trump in Alaska on Friday, but the North Korean reports did not mention the Trump meeting. Kim Yo Jong had also released statements in July dismissing Washington and Seoul's stated desires to restart diplomacy aimed at defusing the North's nuclear program, which derailed in 2019 following a collapsed summit with Trump during his first term. In recent months, South Korean border residents have complained that North Korean speakers blasted irritating sounds, including howling animals and pounding gongs, in a tit-for-tat response to South Korean propaganda broadcasts. The South Korean military said the North stopped its broadcasts in June, after Lee ordered to halt South's broadcasts in his government's first concrete step toward easing tensions between the war-divided rivals. The South's military began removing its speakers from border areas last week but did not say if they would be redeployed if tensions flared again. The issue of loudspeakers North Korea, extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its authoritarian leadership and its third-generation ruler, had seen South Korea's anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts as a major provocation. The South's previous conservative government resumed daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June last year, following a yearslong pause, in retaliation for North Korea flying trash-laden balloons toward the South. The speakers blasted propaganda messages and K-pop songs, a playlist designed to strike a nerve in Pyongyang, where Kim Jong Un has been pushing to eliminate the influence of South Korean pop culture and language among the population, in part of attempts to strengthen his family's dynastic rule. The psychological warfare campaigns further heightened tensions already inflamed by North Korea's advancing nuclear program and South Korean efforts to expand joint military exercises with the United States and their trilateral security cooperation with Japan. Lee, who took office in June after winning an early election to replace ousted conservative Yoon Suk Yeol, wants to improve relations with Pyongyang, which reacted furiously to Yoon's hard-line policies. Experts, however, say the North clearly feels no urgency to resume diplomacy with South Korea and the U.S. anytime soon and remains focused on its alignment with Russia.
The Hill
6 hours ago
- The Hill
Powerful sister of North Korean leader denies removal of frontline speakers
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday dismissed South Korean claims that the North is removing some of its loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border, mocking the government in Seoul for clinging to hopes of renewed diplomacy between the war-divided rivals. Kim Yo Jong's statement came after South Korea's military said Saturday it had detected the North removing some of its loudspeakers, days after the South dismantled its own front-line speakers used for anti-North propaganda broadcasts in a bid to ease tensions. Kim reiterated previous North Korean statements that it has no immediate interest in reviving long-stalled negotiations with Washington and Seoul and cited an upcoming joint military exercise between the allies as proof of their continued hostility toward Pyongyang. While saying that North Korea was removing some of its speakers, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff didn't disclose the sites where it spotted such activity and said it wasn't immediately clear whether the North would take all of them down. During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, South Korea's new liberal President Lee Jae Myung described the North's alleged steps as a 'reciprocal measure' to South Korea's speaker removals and expressed hope that the Koreas could 'gradually reopen dialogue and communication.' Kim accused Lee's government of misleading the public, saying that the North Koreans 'have never removed loudspeakers installed on the border area and are not willing to remove them.' In recent months, South Korean border residents have complained that North Korean speakers blasted irritating sounds, including howling animals and pounding gongs, in a tit-for-tat response to South Korean propaganda broadcasts. The South Korean military said the North stopped its broadcasts in June after Lee ordered to halt South's broadcasts in his government's first concrete step toward easing tensions between the war-divided rivals. South Korea's military began removing its speakers from border areas last week but didn't specify how they would be stored or whether they could be quickly redeployed if tensions flared again.
